This March, during Women’s History Month, EquiLend will be featuring Q&As with some of the EquiLend women who are helping to shape our business!
Mia Yammine
Client Relationship Management
Associate
New York
Who are the women who inspire you the most, and why?
Two women inspire me most: Sallie Krawcheck and my grandma.
Sallie Krawcheck (founder and CEO of Ellevest) inspires me for two reasons:
- The first is that she has had an incredible career on Wall Street—she has held many senior positions, including CFO of Citigroup, CEO of Citi’s Wealth Management Division and President of BAML’s Wealth Management division. Her grit, tenacity and hard work have enabled her to rise to the top of several large organizations in a male-dominated industry and achieve an unbelievable level of success.
- The second is what she has done with that success. Sallie has committed her career to empowering women by helping them take control of their money. She accomplished this by founding Ellevest, an investing platform that is tailored to women, and sponsoring Ellevate, a professional networking group for women (which I am a member of). I hope to one day make a positive impact on women as she has.
My grandma has inspired me throughout my life. She has owned her own business, a hair salon, for 50 years. Her business has allowed her to provide financial support for herself and my family. She has been my rock for a very long time. Because of her, I was lucky enough to grow up watching a female business owner run a successful and lasting business.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I have two younger sisters, one in high school and one in college. The advice I would give them is to see a challenging situation as an opportunity to show off their skills and knowledge, and not as a time to shy away.
When I was in high school and college, getting assigned a large party while waiting tables or entering an intimidating job interview was something I dreaded. Looking back, these were nothing more than opportunities to show that I had mastered the job, coursework, etc. I think this mentality allows you to have fun with these experiences and approach them with more confidence — which often leads to a better outcome.
As we’re celebrating Women’s History Month, what advice would you give to any women reading this?
I would advise women to keep talking about the issues that are important to us. It will be impossible to continue the momentum we’ve had over the past years if we aren’t able to speak openly and honestly with not only each other but also with the men in our lives. Our vision for the future and the barriers we face now need to be understood and prioritized by everyone if we are to continue moving forward.